4/07/2009 @ 6:00PM

In Pictures: 10 Ways To Tap Retirement Cash Early

Ideally, what your put in a 401(k) or IRA should stay there until you retire. That’s what Congress intends. So the law gives you a tax break for using these accounts, but then generally hits you with a 10% penalty, in addition to ordinary taxes, if you take money out before reaching 59 1/2. Still, if you need cash early, there are ways to avoid the 10% hit.